Gender essentialism, the belief that gender traits are innate and immutable, plays a crucial role in shaping social norms and individual behaviors. This fundamental concept influences how children develop their understanding of gender, often leading them to essentialize gender roles and characteristics from a young age (Davoodi et al., 2020; Rhodes & Mandalaywala, 2017). This can result in rigid gender beliefs that may affect the development of their own gender identity and their social interactions.
Our goal in this research program is to assess essentialist beliefs among LGBTQ+ adolescents compared to their non-LGBTQ+ peers.